Quarantine day 237

Last week I ate in a restaurant for the first time since COVID hit in March. I did it without thinking. I received a text from a friend whose daughter had surprised them by flying in for the weekend. The daughter is a SnapChat fav of mine, and despite already having eaten breakfast, I jumped on seeing them. A minute later, I remembered.

I went anyway, although my stomach hurt on the drive there. We wore masks and ate outside by the Gulf. There was hand sanitizer, fresh air, and lots of birds hoping for a scrap of food. We caught up, ate, put our masks back on, and caught up some more. 

I got into a lot of trouble when Madison and Tom found out what I'd done.

Madison: "It's not just the eating in a restaurant part, but the fact you were near someone who'd flown in on an airplane."

Tom: "If you knew the things, I knew. All the people at work who've been sick and who say you don't want this virus..."

Truthfully, the worry overshadowed the joy. 

We didn't do Halloween this year either, turning off the porch light and keeping our front door shut, but it didn't matter. No one wandered down our street, and we saw zero trick or treaters walking the cross street. Madison's school kids came up with alternatives to the usual Halloween neighborhood stroll as well, so I'm guessing most people nixed trick or treating this year.

That didn't mean we didn't get candy. 

Madison had lamented our lack of sugar the night before and set off for candy before picking up our usual Saturday take-out dinner. Apparently, that isn't as naughty as eating outside in a restaurant. 

Meanwhile, we are putting ourselves to work with projects on our improvement list. While my fitness goals took a back seat this week due to a reoccurring knee injury and an almost broken toe, I did manage to complete project #1, and Tom got to work on project #2, which will be in an entry later this week.

Onward into November...

Ten month resolution check

Every two months, I check in to see how I'm doing on my New Year's resolutions. I give myself a score between 1-10 with the hopes that I'm perfect by the end of the year. 

Not sure this year should count, but I've gone this far.

Let's check-in (10 months):

• Travel (Explore and open myself to new experiences)- Yep, due to circumstances beyond my control (PANDEMIC), this one is no longer applicable. Score: N/A

• Get into an excellent mental and/or physical place where I don't mind having my picture taken. -  My daughter said she saw a picture of me (taken in a swimming pool) where she thought I looked happy and not afraid to have my photo taken, so based on that, I've given myself half. Score: 5

• Devise a working routine schedule Monday-Friday so that I do it and stick to it - I can honestly say that the last two months I did really well in doing this. Score: 7

• Finish editing book #1, so Maya can edit and critique it. - I'm putting this one aside so I can work on book #2. The stress of editing a book that needs more plot help than I can figure out during this pandemic has forced my hand. Score: 0

• To drink less coffee and, therefore, less creamer - I've taken to not finishing my coffee many mornings, so I'm counting that! Score: 2

• To tackle some old resolutions that haunt me - This one I have continued to work well on. Score: 10

Total Score: 24 out of 50 (number one is N/A and out of commission) - Blah! Almost halfway. I shall really force my way through the next two months to at least complete another resolution.

Monday morning NFL 2020 recap - week 7

Steelers: The first half was great to watch, but I wasn't fooled. Tennessee is the comeback team. Ben wasn't steady, and in an important game like this one--and next week--he had/has to be. Add that to the injuries we suffered this week, and it was a trying game. But what a finish!

• The best video of the game was Big Ben watching the kick to tie the game and saying, "Did he miss that?", and then his mouth dropped wide open in total shock. That was me. OMG! OMG! It took me several shocking moments to even wave my terrible towel.
• Our last three drives in the fourth quarter went punt, interception, punt, interception. We've got to stop trying to win these games in one half only. 
• According to Scott Hanson of the NFL Redzone channel, due to weather in Tennessee, CBS lost a transmission feed, and the game went black. Here we were trying to secure a win and blip off the grid we went.
• Apparently, CBS announcer Ian Eagle aspires to be a comedian, or maybe he already considers himself one, but his attempt at humor didn't work for me, especially his sack-a-mole gig. Stick to your day job, Eagle.
• Ben did some crazy tosses but none worse than the pitch to James Connor in the second drive while Ben was under pressure, losing the Steelers ten yards. He was lucky Conner managed to catch and hold that ball. Sheesh, just because it worked once doesn't mean your luck will hold. 
• Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt was a beast, not only going for the sack but working to smack the ball out of Titans' quarterback Tannenhill's hands. 
• Welcome back, Jordan Berry. Berry, the Steelers punter for the past five years, was replaced by veteran punter Dustin Colquitt before the start of the season, but Colquitt was cut on Friday, and Berry was brought back in time to travel to Tennessee. I like Berry. He's just a really nice Australian guy, and I was disappointed when he was cut, so having him back made my heart happy.
• Nice to see sportsmanship in the NFL...not. After a three-man tackle on JuJu Smith Schuster, JuJu put out his hand to the Titans players for help up off the turf, and all three ignored him, one guy even stepping over JuJu and brushing past the outstretched hand. The rivalry is tough.
• Far too many interceptions for Ben in this game and I hope he pulls a Larry Bird and spends time this week throwing to the right jersey. 

Other:

• Alright, I'm addressing Antonio Brown's return to the NFL. Ugh. I'm disappointed in Bruce Arians, who stated he'd not take Brown months after Tom Brady brought up the idea. He's "too much miscommunication, too much … diva." Arians should know. He was the Steelers offensive coordinator when Brown played for the Steelers. But, now that his wide receivers are injured, well, who cares what kind of guy comes into your locker room? Who cares about his off-field antics? As for Tom Brady, his need to win at all costs mentality has soured me. The Bucs owners have pissed me off before (shoving Tony Dungy out the door), but this hits below the belt. I root for the Bucs when they aren't playing my Steelers, but this acquisition leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I'm all for forgiveness and redemption, but Brown's antics in manipulating for his releases and trades to land where he wanted last year was calculated and planned, and that's not something I can ignore, even if the NFL can. 
• Fitting then that the Bucs played the Raiders this week. 
• And I might as well discuss former Jets running back Le' Veon Bell, who left Pittsburgh by sitting out an entire season until free agency. He didn't do well in New York and was traded this week to the Chiefs. Do unto others...
• Nice catch by Saints Jarod Cook to put New Orleans on the board. Drew Brees throw in the end zone's corner was a tip and dive for Cook for the six points.
• In the Cincinnati game, both quarterbacks threw interceptions on their first time out, but the Browns interception, a Baker Mayfield intended pass to Odell Beckham Jr., was the worst as Beckham Jr. was hurt when he tried to get in on the tackle, leaping over the pile and injuring his leg. 
• I disagreed with the call against Falcons Terrell Jr. for roughing the passer against Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford. Stafford ran, and while he didn't pass the line of scrimmage, he was moving...forward, left, right, forward...and Terrell hit him straight on and stopped himself with both arms before he crushed Stafford on the turf. I get the protecting the quarterback, but that call wasn't one of those times. 
• The Panthers tried to tie the game against the Saints with fourteen seconds left in the game. Kicker Joey Slye attempted a 65-yard field goal, and had he made it through the uprights, would've set an NFL record, beating Lions kicker Matt Prater's 64-yard longest field goal record. It was high and straight, and it looked good, going, going, and poop. It dropped short. Bummer, it was a nice kick.
• Poor Atlanta. First, Matt Ryan fumbled and lost the ball on a sack, and then Todd Gurley, despite knowing full well what he needed to do, couldn't stop himself from scoring. With seconds on the clock, Gurley tried to stop at the one-yard line for the first down, which would have allowed the Falcons to just kneel to the end. Instead, Gurley broke the plane for the touchdown and gave the Lions time. Can't leave Matthew Stafford time when he's behind. I've said before, Stafford is like the neighborhood kid in his backyard, and kids live for that kind of opportunity. He had no trouble, keeping his head, scrambling out of the sack, and throwing a perfect pass for the touchdown. Then it was all Matt Prater for the win, and no one questioned that because, uh, see above. Classic Stafford, classic Prater, and classic Falcons who blew yet another lead to lose their game. 
• If the Steelers and the Lions game wasn't exciting enough, we had the Browns coming from behind to beat the Bengals. With eleven seconds left, Mayfield threw a perfect pass to Donovan Peoples-Jones in the corner of the end zone, and Peoples-Jones made an unbelievable catch, keeping both feet in bounds for the win. The Bengals had some time on the clock to do something, but the Hail Mary fell flat.
• Snow in Denver this week for the Chiefs/Broncos game, while we in Florida still are in the upper 80's. 

NFL 2020 picks week 7

 Last Week - 11-3

Overall - 60-30

Philadelphia over Giants

Atlanta over Detroit

Cincinnati over Cleveland

Pittsburgh over Tennessee

New Orleans over Carolina

Buffalo over Jets

Washington over Dallas

Green Bay over Houston

Tampa over Vegas

Kansas City over Denver

New England over San Francisco

Chargers over Jacksonville

Seattle over Arizona

Chicago over Rams

I'm on the case

For college graduation, my brother gave me a stuffed dog I named Rusty Dog. He sits on my bed during the day and functions as a pillow and a light blocker during the night. Before we had children and a real dog, Rusty Dog provided us with quality entertainment. If one of us was in the bathroom, Rusty Dog would scratch at the door and bark, or he'd nibble someone's feet under the bed covers. Ah, the days of silliness and young love.

Over the years, Rusty Dog has suffered a couple of injuries, requiring surgeries, but he has aged remarkably well for the most part. Every morning, I make the bed, kiss his nose, and put him right where he belongs at the head of our bed.

A month ago, I noticed he'd obviously been in a fight of sorts because his left ear had been mauled. Narrowing down the suspects, I discussed it with Elliot, who claimed the fifth. Giving him a scolding and a reminder that Rusty Dog was here first, I made a virtual appointment for a surgery consultation.

Today, I discovered it was no longer needed.

No one is talking but we will be looking for the evidence in someone's daily poop.

Monday morning NFL 2020 recap - week 6

Steelers: This was not the game I expected, but in no way was I disappointed. I don't even know what to say about the Browns, although according to the announcers, Browns' quarterback Baker Mayfield's ribs were the cause for all their woes. I could've used those ribs as a drinking game as they were discussed so often.

• I didn't know Mayfield's ribs were sore since I barely followed their game last week, but I learned very quickly that he was a man walking gingerly. They wrapped him in everything but bubble wrap, and maybe that was underneath his jersey too, but something tells me he's going to be hurting tonight.
• The other story that wasn't a story but not for the journalists was how Browns' defensive end Myles Garrett would react against the Steelers and vice versa. Remember that debacle from last year? Yeah, exactly. It's old news. We've never really had issues with the Browns like we do with the Ravens and Cincinnati, and thankfully, everyone acted like adults and played football without the drama.
• Defense! Defense! When those guys come out to play from the beginning, watch out! A big downside was the loss of Devin Bush, who tore his ACL and will miss the rest of the season. A huge loss to the Steelers defense. Sigh.
• Another big day for running back James Conner, who ran for 101 yards 
• Locally, the Steelers were on CBS, which was fine until the powers-that-be decided our game was too boring. They switched from our game to the Patriots/Denver game with eight minutes remaining, and since I had paused my game to be involved in an upcoming home improvement project, I was too late to switch over to my Sunday NFL ticket app. So, I can't comment on what happened in the end.
• Have I mentioned how much I hate the stiff arm? James Conner is the king of that, and I wish he'd just stop.
• I also thought I'd have to bring up the use of Bennie Snell Jr. again this week, but after grousing aloud about how disappointed I was that the Steelers coaches obviously don't read my blog, Snell Jr. was used in the second half to punch in the inches when we needed them, including a touchdown! Maybe Alexa was passing on the information.
• Most of the time, I find the announcers annoying, and while Jim Nantz and Tony Romo were tolerable, they did provide a few laughs. My favorite was showing us the exchange between Ben Roethlisberger and the ref while waiting for the replay call on Claypool's touchdown. The ref told Ben Romo thought Claypool was in, and Ben agreed, giving Romo a thumbs up and calling him Antonio. Okay, stuff like that (especially when we have a big lead) is entertaining. 

Other:

• The Bucs put a beating on the Packers with their defense, but Ndamukong Suh made sure he was the one who kept quarterback Aaron Rodgers on the ground. Suh and Rodgers have a history, and Rodger's mouth and his pointer finger let Suh know he wasn't playing his dirty football games.
• Washington's coach Ron Riveria chose to go for the win instead of the tie with 36 seconds left on the clock against the New York Giants. While I get that mentality, I didn't get why quarterback Kyle Allen, who scrambled to his left, didn't continue and scramble into the end zone when he clearly had an open path. Instead, he was taken down, and the Giants finally won a game.
• Kudos to former Bucs coach Raheem Morris for leading Atlanta out of the dark hole and into the locker room with a win. Morris replaced the Falcons fired coach Dan Quinn this week.
• The Bengals blew a 21-0 lead against the Indianapolis Colts, and then when it looked like they'd take the lead with a field goal, their kicker Randy Bullock missed the 48-yard field goal with eight minutes left to play and then sealed the loss after Burrows threw an interception.
• COVID is still circling the NFL, but all the games were a go this week. No word on the investigation into the Titans' handling of the virus, but it certainly hasn't slowed the team done any. They roared back to beat the Texans and earn a place next to the Steelers with zippo losses thus far.

NFL 2020 picks week 6

Last Week - 7-7

Overall - 49-27

Tennessee over Houston

Indianapolis over Cincinnati 

Minnesota over Atlanta

New England over Denver

Washington over Giants

Baltimore over Philadelphia

Pittsburgh over Cleveland

Chicago over Carolina

Detroit over Jacksonville

Miami over Jets

Tampa over Green Bay

San Francisco over Rams

Kansas City over Buffalo

Arizona over Dallas

Quarantine day 220

Since Darcy and Oleg returned to school, I've made a few changes in my life. I mainly keep to a wake-up schedule, avoid sitting on the couch before noon and eat breakfast with my coffee instead of after my first cup. Monday through Friday, I rise before eight, around the time Madison and Tom are leaving for the day, so I'm not disrupting their routine, and Tom doesn't annoy me with his cheerful morning disposition. 

For the past month and a half, I've thrown on exercise clothes and worked out with my newest obsession Fabulous 50s, but recently, I talked my girlfriend into taking walks on the mornings after her nightshift job, and so, I drive to her house first thing, and we walk her neighborhood. Then I return home and eat breakfast with my coffee. It's been not only liberating for me to see the outside world more than once or twice a week, but it keeps me on task--

--except when one of us cancels on the other. 

Today, it was me. I had a knee injury from something I did over the weekend, so I canceled and promptly went back to sleep. There went my schedule.

Because when I got up and ready for the day, it was 9:30, and I threw everything out the window and resorted to bad habits. I sat outside on the front porch and sipped my coffee while I edited a few chapters of book #2 until my grumbling stomach reminded me I hadn't eaten breakfast, and I wandered inside. What to eat, what to eat?

Luckily for me, I chose shredded wheat instead of my standard hard-boiled egg because...

...right there on the front of the box was a disclaimer that a bowl of those mini wheats would keep me full and content until lunchtime. 

A quick glance at the clock...

...told me it was a strong possibility that was true.

Yep, day 220 of COVID quarantine, and I'm searching for not only humor but for anything that will make a blog post!

Couples in quarantine

Me: "What's the deal with the grandfather clock?"

Tom: "What do you mean?"

Me: "It's not keeping time like it should. It's off by about two minutes and it's seriously getting on my last nerve!"

Tom: "I'm less worried about the clock and more worried about you losing that last nerve."

Monday morning 2020 recap - week 5

Steelers: I can do without the up and down games. It's way too stressful. Why do they insist on keeping games close?

• I can also do without the bad play calls, especially at home. One missed call, okay, I'll let that one slide. Two missed calls? On the same infraction? The Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool scored a touchdown with nary a touch to defender Craig James, yet here came the flag. Even the annoying announcers were perplexed by the second blip of a call. Who's the idea was it take away the review on the pass interference call? Maybe this is a rule we should do away with and let these guys just fight it out.
• I was also over the two in the booth for Fox. They obviously couldn't see well because, on two different flagged plays, they kept discussing it when the outcome was crystal clear on the instant replays, which they both get in the box up close and personal. And don't even get me started on the James Franco debacle. I mean, who confuses legend Franco Harris with the actor (and former General Hospital alum) James Franco?
• Both defenses came out strong, shutting down both offenses, making it look like we were in for a long day. Our offense did not come out strong, but after punting in the first drive, we got warmed up started scoring. But while that was happening, our defense let down their guard enough for the Eagles to keep the game alive. 
• I knew our defense needed to get fired up in the locker room with whatever it is Mike Tomlin or some other motivator does to pump these guys up for the second half. I texted that response to my football gal pal and former roommate Eagles fan. Boom! Steelers Steve Nelson intercepted, and the offense scored!
• I love it when we pull off some trick plays, especially after watching the season finale of Ted Lasso on Saturday night. (Highly recommend the Apple TV show!!)
• A big game for Chase Claypool, who finished with seven catches for one hundred and ten yards, three carries for six yards, and four touchdowns. The 2020 draft pick was on fire, and the Eagles defense didn't have an answer on shutting him down.
• The Steelers running back Ray-Ray McCloud ran 58-yards before being brought down short of the touchdown. McCloud made the mistake of looking to his left and trying to stiff-arm the Eagles defender. It reminded me of my coaching days when I'd tell my swimmers not to look sideways into either lane. It's a waste of precious seconds. Are you going to look behind you when you're being chased by a gun-wielding psycho? No, you're going to zig-zag toward safety like McCloud should've done to the end zone.
• The Eagles running back Miles Sanders, back home again in Pittsburgh, had quite the game, scoring two touchdowns in front of his family, his first a 74-yard romp over and around Steelers defenders to put the Eagles on the board and tie the game at 7-7.
• The Steelers defense stopped the Eagles on a third down, and Eagles kicker Jake Elliott missed a 57-yard field goal that would have put the Eagles ahead by one and set a record at Heinz Field.
• The Steelers allowed 5,500 fans into Heinz Field for this game. My buddy continued his travel plans to Pittsburgh this weekend, but I'm not sure he got into the game. Fox reported it was just as loud as any games where Steelers Nation is in attendance. 
• I said this before, but we really need to pull in running back Benny Snell Jr. for those minuscule yards instead of Conner. Use Snell like we used Jerome Bettis to punch it in when we have five yards or less. He has the power over Conner to make those plays. All it does is tire out Conner. 

Other:

• COVID still swirling through the NFL, causing more upheavals in scheduling. More positive cases for the Patriots and the Titans. The NFL is now investigating the Tennessee Titans for violating COVID rules put into place before the season began. Some of the Steelers players feel the NFL should've required the Titans to forfeit last week's game, and if the NFL has to keep shuffling, forfeits might just start coming.
• The Texans fired coach Bill O'Brien on Monday, (Yikes, look out Dan Quinn!) giving defensive coordinator and former Browns head coach, Romeo Crennel, another shot at securing the head job. For right now, Crennel is the interim coach, but he was that in Kansas City several years ago too before becoming their head coach. Either way, it worked well this week as the Texans secured their first win in a romp against the Jaguars.
• Looks like the Raiders are just now living up to the hype of last season. They played well enough to end the Kansas City Chiefs winning streak. Raiders quarterback Derek Carr went 21 of 30 passes for 345 yards and three touchdowns against the Chiefs' big payday Patrick Mahomes, 22 of 43 for 340 yards. His late pick in the fourth quarter sealed the game for a Vegas win.
• Anyone else get a bit weepy when Washington sent out quarterback Alex Smith, he of the gruesome leg injury in 2018 that looked career-ending? Smith came in after back-up quarterback Kyle Allen, the starter this week after Dwayne Haskins' benching, was hit helmet to helmet in the first half. Smith went 9 for 17 for 36 yards and took a sack, his first hit of the season. Unfortunately, Smith won't replace Allen according to coach Ron Rivera, but it sure was the feel-good moment of Sunday's games.

NFL 2020 picks week 5

 Last Week - 12-3

Overall - 42-21

Tampa over Chicago

Atlanta over Carolina

Kansas City over Raiders

Arizona over Jets

Pittsburgh over Philadelphia

Rams over Washington

Baltimore over Cincinnati

Jacksonville over Houston

San Francisco over Miami

Indianapolis over Cleveland

Dallas over Giants

Seattle over Minnesota

New England over Denver

New Orleans over Chargers

Buffalo over Tennessee

Monday Morning 2020 NFL recap - week 4

Week 4 and COVID has struck the NFL. Like in our nation's capital, positive testing didn't stop events from happening, and Monday, players and personnel from the Tennessee Titans team went down. There was talk of postponing their game against the Steelers from Sunday to Monday or Tuesday as if COVID was a muscle strain. Has Roger Goodell been asleep since March? What happened to the CDC's 14 day quarantine period for being near anyone showing a positive result? 

But what can I expect from an organization where coaches half-ass wear masks? I mean, Vikings' coach Mike Zimmer wore a face shield and still lifted it above his head after every play. The NFL referees association wants the NFL to take action against Ravens coach John Harbaugh for lowering his mask and shouting at the ref in Monday night's game against the Chiefs. 

Friday, my NFL headline shouted about how anger over TNF's game between the Broncos and the Jets so angered Broncos coach Vic Fangio, he refused to shake Jets coach Adam Gase's hand. Tell me, why are NFL coaches shaking hands? It's bad enough the players aren't wearing masks while on the sidelines! 

Each day, another Titan fell, and Goodell sent out a letter--a sternly worded letter--to all teams reminding them of COVID. The Steelers/Titans game was rescheduled and week 4 is now their bye. Not long after that news, down went Patriots quarterback Cam Newton, followed not long after by Chiefs practice reserve quarterback Jordan Ta'amu (playing Newton during practice, cue the irony), and that game will be played in a Monday night doubleheader because thus far, no one else has tested positive. Oh, okay.

Meanwhile, a player for the Saints tested positive before Sunday even began, yet on went week 4. The NFL, like so much of our nation, has ignored science and thrown down the gantlet against COVID. No one and no thing--like a deathly virus--will stop them from playing, and playing the way they've always done with a full schedule, full roster, and full contact.

Other:

• Touchdowns were happening at a rate so quickly my head was spinning. Boom, boom, boom. Before the thirty-minute mark, Cleveland, Seattle, Detroit, Dallas, the Chargers, Carolina, Minnesota, the Bucs, the Ravens, and New Orleans had scored, with the Chargers and the Lions putting twice the points on board.
• The Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans went to the locker room after a tackle that pinned his bent leg at an odd ankle and left him writhing on the sidelines. With Chris Godwin already out due to injury, Bucs fans (and fantasy owners like myself) sighed heavily. The news obviously got to Bucs quarterback Tom Brady too because he then went out and threw a pick-six.
• But, Evans returned, and then in the fourth quarter, down went Bucs tight end O.J. Howard with an Achilles injury that we learned after the game will most likely take him out for the season. Oh, boy.
• Browns Odell Beckham Jr. was finally on fire, catching, rushing, scoring, and making superhuman plays to beat the Cowboys. Too bad he wasn't humble about it. 
• Ravens' quarterback Lamar Jackson went on a 50-yard rushing spree. At eleven yards to go, Jackson straight-armed the ball in triumph like a nanny, nanny, boo, boo, and about lost it when Washington's Ronald Darby came whipping through on Jackson's side. 
• The best team in the first half goes to the Browns whose defense made some great plays against the Cowboys. Smartest move? Seeing that a tackle left Dallas running back Ezekiel Elliot on a Browns player instead of the ground, and popping out the ball for a fumble.
• Vikings Harrison Smith was ejected for a helmet to helmet hit on Texan Jordan Akins. Akins was tackled by another defender, spun, his body bent when Akins came alongside him, leading with his head. A big no-no now in the NFL and Smith was immediately ejected.
• Bucs running back Kenjon Barner was hit by the Chargers Kyzier White in the head but the difference was White led with his shoulder and Barner's bent body from a tackle behind made that a helmet to helmet. Unfortunately for Barner, it knocked him out of the game (and out completely in my opinion because it sure looked like he was out completely on the ground).